Dancing with the Devil: Criminal
by Sun
Summary: First in my I-Man/X-Files crossover. The Agents attend a conference in Washington DC and meet Mulder and Scully.
1. Part 1

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The title was borrowed from the Fiona Apple song of the same name._

NOTES: You should probably read the first story in the Maggie arc, We Can Be Heros, to understand Maggie a little better. The only other really important thing is that Krycek has both his arms fully intact. I'm really in denial that he ever lost it. :-) 

* * *

Criminal Part 1

by Sun

* * *

"Claire! Our tickets are here!" Darien and Claire looked up as Maggie flew into the lab, waving an envelope. 

"Tickets? For what?" Darien was curious. He made a grab for the envelope but Maggie tossed it over to Claire as he lunged for her. 

"Why'd ya wanna know?" She ducked out of his reach and smiled playfully. 

"I'm curious." He turned to Claire who was examining the tickets. 

"You know what they say about curiosity and the cat, Darien." Claire told him. 

He grinned. "You know, I always thought the details of that story were greatly exaggerated." 

Claire sighed, rolling her eyes. "If you must know Darien, Maggie and I are attending a conference of psychic researchers in Washington DC next week." 

"Psychic research? Why?" He tried to flop back into the lab chair but Maggie was already curled up in it. He settled for leaning against the edge of it. 

"The Official thought it would be a good idea for me to become more familiar with Maggie's area of research. Since I'm her Keeper now." 

He tipped his head back and peered at Maggie. "So why you going?" 

"Because I'm the psychic part of the psychic research. They think it'd be good for me." She patted his head. "So you and Hobbes will just have to play nice without me for a week." 

Darien pouted, his chin dropping to his chest. "Don't pout, Darien. It's not polite." Claire admonished. "And don't you turn those puppy dog eyes on me!" She exclaimed when he turned to look at her. 

The lab door opened slid open and Hobbes appeared on the other side. "I thought I'd find you down here. Big man wants to see us." 

"About what?" Darien leaned his head back against Maggie's leg. Her hand absently ruffled the hair on the side of his head. 

Hobbes shrugged. "Didn't say. Just told me 'Find Fawkes and get to my office pronto.' So lets go." 

Reluctantly, Darien stood up and smoothed his hair where Maggie had been playing with it. "All right." He turned back to the women. "Ah'll be back." 

Maggie giggled at Darien's Arnold impression. "Go on. Find out what he wants." 

Darien jogged down the hall to catch up with Hobbes. "So what's up?" 

"Got me." Hobbes pushed open the door to the Official's office. 

The Official and Eberts looked up when they came in. "Hi boys. Have a seat." The Official looked at Eberts who handed them each a plane ticket. 

"What's this?" Darien looked at the Official, then back down at the plane ticket in his hand. 

"As you no doubt have already discovered, Magdalena and the Keeper are going to Washington DC." The Official smiled in his patronizing way. 

Hobbes looked confused. "Why?" 

"Claire and Magdalena are attending a ten day conference on the paranormal that will be attended by some of the top doctors in psychic research. Because the Keeper is going, you are going." He looked at Darien. "And because Fawkes is going, you are going. To keep him out of trouble." He told Hobbes. "Think of it as a paid vacation. Because this is the last time you'll ever get one from us." 

* * *

Alex Krycek stood before the men of the Consortium, watching them as they gave him a new assignment. 

"Starting in 1978, the Army was involved in a joint project with the Agency called Alpha 421R. It was thought to be unsuccessful in all cases. But we have become aware of one subject who survived the process but remained undetected until now." One of the group Elders handed him a photograph. "Her name is Magdalena Rourke. She was subject to the project when she was four years old. Her parents were killed and she was adopted by the Agency she now works for. Her Keeper will be attending a conference at the Marriott on F Street and she is going with her." 

"What do you want me to do?" He studied the picture he's been handed. She was looking over her shoulder at something and laughing, her eyes sparkling. Vibrant red hair that just brushed her shoulders reminded him of a certain red head FBI agent. The girl in the picture was standing next to a tall good-looking man. 

"Find her and persuade her to come with you. You are to bring her here. Unharmed." The Cigarette Smoking Man handed him another piece of paper. 

Krycek nodded. "Who's the man in the picture?" 

There was some shuffling of papers before he got his answer. "Another agent. Darien Fawkes. He is not seen as a threat." 

"When is she arriving?" 

"Tomorrow." He heard some whispering. "We expect to have her by the end of the conference. 10 days." 

He looked at the photo again. "It will be." 

* * *

Maggie watched Washington DC speed by through the cab window. Darien let her lean over him as he pointed out different monuments. 

"This is so cool." She breathed as they passed the Smithsonian Castle. She glanced up at Darien who was watching her with a smile. 

"I keep forgetting you've never been out of California." 

"California? I've barely been out of San Diego." Maggie turned to Claire who was sitting on her other side. "Do I have to spend everyday at the conference? I want to do the tourist thing." 

"I don't see why you couldn't. I'm sure Darien and Hobbes would love you show you around." Claire said, earning a snort from Hobbes. Darien reached forward and smacked him lightly on the back of the head. 

"Boys, play nice." She admonished. 

"We're here." The driver told them before getting out to get their luggage. They piled out of the cab and collected their luggage. Claire paid him and they entered the hotel. She checked them in while Maggie and Darien collected brochures from the concierge desk, and Hobbes stood guard over the luggage. 

"Here. You're in 1213, I'm in 1215, Darien and Maggie are across the hall in 1214 and 1216." Claire handed a key to Hobbes and waved at the couple by the desk. Darien saw her and pulled Maggie away from the brochures. "Your keys. 1214 and 1216." 

They headed for the elevators. Claire skimmed the schedule of events for the conference. 

"So what's up for tonight?" Maggie peered over her shoulder. 

"There's a welcome banquet at 8 tonight. Semi-formal, so dress nice." Claire told her. 

"Great. And what are we supposed to do tonight?" Hobbes asked. 

Claire shook her head. "I don't know. Go be a tourist or something. It's not my job to entertain you." The elevator doors slid open. "Here we are." 

Maggie led the group down the hall to their rooms. She slid the key card into the lock and pushed her door open. 

The room was spacious and set up for a business traveler. A large desk was set against one wall, complete with an elegant leather desk chair. Next to that was a dresser with a television resting on the top. A cozy easy chair and ottoman were tucked into the corner besides the sliding glass doors leading out to a small balcony. The queen-sized bed stood in the middle of the wall opposite the desk. 

Maggie set her suitcase on the bed and unzipped it so she could unpack. She was hanging some clothes in the closet when she heard a knock on the door. She peered out the peephole before opening it up but there was no one on the other side. She shrugged and went back inside. Just as she closed the door, she heard a knock again. 

Yanking the door open, she looked around. "Darien, this isn't funny." 

"Wrong door, princess." Darien's voice was muffled but coming from inside the room. She shut the door and looked around. Tucked in the corner created by the closet was an adjoining door. Maggie unlocked the door and opened it. Darien was on the other side, a sarcastic grin on his face. 

"Knock it off. I didn't notice this door." She pulled more clothes out of the suitcase and placed them in a drawer. "So what are you doing tonight?" 

"I think Hobbes wanted to check out some weapons museum." He sat down in her desk chair and pushed off, sending himself rolling across the room. Maggie rolled her eyes and picked up her toiletries bag. 

"Sounds like fun." She carried it into the bathroom. "Oh good gracious." 

"I see you approve of the bathroom." Darien was leaning against the doorframe. 

She was staring at the bathtub. It was a whirlpool tub like the one she had at home, with a separate shower. "How could I not? My tub at home is like this one." 

"Oh really?" He spoke next to her ear, startling her. 

"Yes, really. You know that." She set her toiletries bag on the counter and pushed past him back into the room. "Out of my way. I have to finish unpacking." 

"So what are you wearing tonight?" He followed her back out of the bathroom. 

"If I promise to show you before we leave will you go away and let me unpack and take a nap?" She asked exasperated. 

He thought about it for a moment before nodding. 

"Okay. Have a good nap." Leaning down, he dropped a kiss on the top of her head. "I'll see you later." 

"Bye." She shut the door, not bothering to lock it and flopped down on the bed, pushing the suitcase to the floor. At the last moment she remembered to set the alarm before falling asleep. 

* * *

There was a knock on Darien's door. He hopped off the bed and walked to the door. "Who is it?" 

"It's me." Maggie's voice called back. He swung open the door. 

She turned as he opened the door. She was wearing a full-length hunter green velvet gown, strapless with a straight skirt. Her hair was pulled back in a French twist. She spun around. "What do you think? Do I clean up nice?" 

"Wow." He'd never seen her in anything dressier than a skirt. "You look great." 

Claire came out of her room, dressed in a soft blue silk gown. "Are you ready Maggie?" 

"Are you sure you ladies don't need an escort?" Darien offered, grinning. 

"Yes, Darien. We're sure." Maggie leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll tell you all about it later." 

They took the elevator down to the second floor and quickly found the ballroom. The two women checked in, getting their name badges and their table assignment. Maggie sat down with a groan. 

"This is going to be bad. I can already tell." She told Claire. 

"It might not be that bad." 

"It will." She said solemnly. "I saw it in a dream." Claire laughed and waved at someone out of Maggie's view. "I see someone I know. I'll be right back, Maggie." 

"Okay. I'll, uh, sit here and be bored." Claire laughed. "I'll only be a minute. The dinner's going to start soon." 

Mulder scanned the room for his partner. He caught sight of a red head sitting at a table near the stage and headed through the people toward her. 

He touched her shoulder. "Hey Scully. I didn't think I was going to find you." 

The woman turned and looked up at him. "I'm sorry. I think you must have mistaken me for someone else." She was younger than Scully, her eyes a more vibrant green. 

"Yeah. Sorry, I thought you were my partner." He explained. 

"Partner?" 

"FBI. I'm Fox Mulder." He held out his hand. 

She smiled brightly and shook his hand. "Maggie Rourke. Nice to meet you." 

"So what do you do Miss Rourke?" 

"Actually, it's Agent Rourke." 

"FBI?" 

She shook her head. "No, Fish and Game. Out of San Diego. I'm here with some colleagues." 

"Long way from home. Well, I'd better find Scully. Maybe I'll see you around." 

"Sure. Good luck finding her." 

"Thanks." 

Claire approached the table as Mulder walked away. "Who was that?" 

"An FBI agent. He thought I was his partner." 

She sat in the seat next to Maggie. "Cute bloke." 

Maggie watched him until he disappeared into the crowd. "Yeah. I guess he is." 

* * *

The banquet proved to be as boring as Maggie expected. When it was over, Maggie stood up and stretched. "Was that as bad as you thought it would be?" 

"Actually, it was worse." Claire also stood, looking around. "Maggie if you'll excuse me, there's someone I wanted to talk to and I see her over there." 

"Medical stuff?" 

"She's a doctor, yes." 

"I'll be in the bar." Maggie told her. 

Claire nodded. "I'll come find you." 

When she arrived at the bar, she ordered a white wine and hopped up on the barstool. There was a football game on the television and she absently watched as she sipped her wine. 

Someone sat down next to her. "Agent Rourke." 

She turned. "Agent Mulder. Did you find your partner?" 

He nodded. "She's off talking shop with some other doctors." 

"So's Claire." 

"Your colleague?" 

She nodded and they fell into silence, nursing their drinks and watching the game. After a few minutes, Maggie turned back to Mulder. "You'd think for a bunch of people involved in something so interesting, that dinner would have been less-" She searched for the right word. 

"Mind-numbing?" He offered. 

She laughed. "Yeah." 

"It was pretty bad wasn't it?" 

She nodded and sipped her wine. "So what do you do for the FBI?" 

He looked at his drink a moment. "Scully and I work on cases dealing with the paranormal." He waited for her reaction. 

"You mean like psychics and ghosts and aliens?" 

"Exactly." 

"Cool." 

Mulder looked around the bar. There was an empty booth in the corner. "Would you like to go sit and talk?" 

"Sure." She picked up her drink and he helped her off the barstool. They settled into the booth. 

"You know, most women don't think the X-Files are cool." Mulder cocked his head to the side, trying to figure her out. 

She mirrored his expression. "I'm not most women." 

He laughed. "I can see that. So Agent Rourke, how did you start working for Fish and Game?" 

"Please, call me Maggie." 

"Mulder." 

She smiled. "No one calls you by your first name?" 

"Would you want to be called Fox?" 

"I can sympathize. My full name is Magdalena." 

"That is unusual." 

"I blame my mother." She smiled brightly. 

"So, Fish and Game?" 

"My dad got me the job." She looked down at her drink. 

"Does he still work there?" 

She shook her head and took a sip of her wine. "No, he's dead. What about you? How'd you get into the FBI?" 

"My sister was abducted when I was 12. I'm trying to find her." 

"Abducted? Do you know who took her?" 

It was his turn to study his drink. "Something extraterrestrial." 

"You really believe in this stuff." It wasn't a question. 

He nodded, his hazel eyes dark in the dim light. "Do you?" 

She didn't answer right away. "Can I tell you a secret?" 

"You hardly know me. Why would you want to tell me anything?" He gave her a half grin, which she answered. 

"I think you're someone who can keep a secret." Maggie quirked an eyebrow. "Am I wrong?" 

Mulder shook his head. "No." 

She lowered her voice until it was barley above a whisper. "I am an X-File." 

The look on Mulder's face was priceless. "What do you mean?" 

"Don't worry. It's not another boring abduction story." 

"So then what is it?" His eyes glittered with enthusiasm. 

"You can't tell anyone. Not even your partner. And there will be no volunteering for tests or anything of that sort." 

"Okay." He agreed, eager to hear what she was going to say. 

She leaned in, beaconing him closer. "I'm psychic." 

"Really?" He was so close she could smell the liquor on his breath. 

Maggie nodded. "I can move things with my mind." 

"Can I see?" 

"Sure." After checking to make sure no one was watching them, she leaned back and closed her eyes, her hands folded on the tabletop. Reaching out with her mind, she removed Mulder's tie. She opened her eyes and reached up to accept the tie floating across the table to her. 

His eyes were wide, watching her. "That was so cool." 

She handed him the tie back. "If we weren't in public, I could probably lift you." Impossibly, his eyes grew wider. 

"Can you read my mind?" 

She shook her head. "No. It doesn't work like that. I can read emotions, if I'm touching someone." 

"Did you always have these abilities?" 

"No. I developed them when I was four." 

"Amazing." 

She laughed. "I guess so." Turning the conversation back to him, she asked, "Do you live in DC?" 

"Arlington." 

"This might seem like an odd question, but do you know any good running routes nearby?" Maggie asked. 

"You run?" 

"Sure. Girl's gotta keep in shape somehow." She smiled. "Do you run?" 

"Yeah. The closest place to run is the Mall. It's nice. You can look at the monuments as you jog." After a moment, he tipped his head to the side. "Would you like a running partner?" 

"Yeah, sure." 

"I'll meet you in the lobby in the morning?" 

"What time?" 

"6:30?" 

"Sounds fine." Maggie looked around and saw Claire heading toward the bar. "There's Claire. I'll see you tomorrow?" 

He nodded. "Yeah. Night, Maggie." 

"Night." She wandered over to Claire. "Hey, Claire." 

"Is that the FBI gentleman?" Claire asked as they headed for the elevators. 

Maggie nodded. "Yup. His partner was doing the same thing you were." She pressed the button for the twelfth floor. "We're going running tomorrow morning." 

"Sounds lovely." Claire's response was only partially sarcastic. 

"Well I know it's not your idea of a good time, but I like it." She grinned. The doors slid open and they walked down the hall to their rooms. 

"Just be careful." Claire slid her key in the lock. "Night, Maggie." 

"Night, Claire." Maggie did the same. "And don't worry, I will." She shut the door behind her, kicking off her shoes. She knocked on the adjoining door before opening it. "Hey Darien." 

"How was dinner?" He was sprawled on the bed, wearing only his pajama bottoms. She flopped backwards on the bed. 

"Horribly boring, as expected." She arched her back so she could see him. "The museum?" 

"Once we got there, it was pretty bad." 

"Once you got there? Did you get lost?" She rolled over and sat up on her knees, gathering her dress up so she wasn't kneeling on it. 

Darien ran a hand over her thigh absently. "Hobbes got us lost. I think we walked all the way around the museum three times before we found it." He pulled her down next to him, taking the comb out of the French twist. 

"I should go get out of this dress." She said softly as his hand skimmed over the light boning in her dress. 

"I could help." He whispered in her ear. She smiled, her tongue darting out to taste his shoulder. Nodding, she reached up and pulled his mouth to hers. 

"You could help." 

* * *

Maggie sat up in bed with a gasp. Her eyes darted around the room as she tried to slow her breathing. 

"Mag?" Darien's warm hand touched her back and she jumped, letting out a small scream. "Bad dream?" 

She looked down at him. "Yeah." Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly. "I'm okay." 

"Are you sure? Was it a prophecy?" He rubbed her back slowly. 

Shaking her head, she laid back down. "I don't think so." Maggie turned on her side away from Darien. She closed her eyes and replayed the dream in her mind. She saw herself running from a large brick house, collapsing on the side of the road, and a large black sedan. "I'm sure it's nothing." His arm slipped around her waist, pulling her back against him. 

Darien yawned against her back. "If you're sure." She nodded. "Okay. Night Maggie." He murmured and drifted back to sleep. Maggie snuggled against him, unable to fall back asleep so quickly. Eventually, she slipped back into slumber. 

* * *

Her watch beeped shrilly, jolting her awake. Maggie sat up slowly, gathering up her discarded eveningwear as she headed back to her room to change into running clothes. 

Darien looked up from the nest of pillows and blankets as she left. "Where y' goin'?" His voice was thick from sleep. 

"Running. Go back to sleep, love." She gave him a soft smile before she closed the adjoining door. 

"'Kay." He rolled back over, burying his head under the pillow. 

After splashing some cold water on her face, Maggie felt a little better. She ran a brush through her hair quickly before lacing up her gray and blue running shoes. They matched her blue Lycra shorts and gray Lycra tank top. Sliding her key into the band of her shorts, Maggie headed down to the lobby to meet Mulder. 

The dark haired agent was already waiting for her, dressed in a blue t-shirt and gray sweats. "Morning Maggie." 

"God, you're a morning person." She groaned good-naturedly. 

He grinned. "What can I say? Ready to go?" 

"Sure." 

They headed out of the hotel, Maggie following Mulder through the streets at a slow jog. When they got to the mall, Maggie sped up, moving slightly ahead of Mulder. 

"Have you ever been to DC before?" Mulder asked her when he pulled up even with her. 

She shook her head. "No. I've never been off the west coast. Its nice though." 

"Yeah. Its not a bad place to live." 

They fell into silence as they jogged around the tree-lined path. They passed other joggers and walkers but it was too early for the tourists. When they got to the Lincoln Memorial, they turned and headed back to the hotel. 

"You run long distance?" Mulder asked as they turned off the Mall, heading back to the hotel. 

She nodded. "I like to keep up my sprinting too. Comes in handy when chasing criminals and stuff." Her words were breathy from running. 

"Race ya back to the hotel?" 

"Are you kidding?" She looked at him like he was insane. 

He shook his head. "Come on. You said you sprint." 

"This is a little more than a sprint." 

"You can do it." He plucked at the strap of her tank top before taking off. 

Shaking her head, she took off at full speed after her. "Unbelievable." She muttered under her breath. She caught up with him at the next intersection, running just at his heels. Pedestrians jumped out of their way as they tore down the sidewalk. Maggie could see the hotel a few blocks ahead of them and pushed herself harder. She pulled up even with Mulder as they came into the last block. With an extra burst of speed, she pushed ahead of him and into the lobby of the hotel. 

He followed her and they skidded to a stop, startling the hotel patrons and staff. They stood, bent over at the waist trying to catch their breath. 

"You're fast for someone so little." Mulder breathed, trying to catch his breath. 

"Hey!" Maggie exclaimed. 

A hotel security guard approached them. "Can I offer some assistance?" His voice was businesslike, with just a touch of concern. 

"Sorry. We were, racing." Mulder explained breathlessly. "Didn't mean to bother you." 

Maggie dug out her key and showed it to the guard. "We're heading up to my room. Sorry." 

"That's alright. Just try to end the race outside next time." He told them. 

"Sure. Thanks." Maggie turned to Mulder. "Where are you going to clean up?" 

"I was going to head over to the office. Get dressed there." 

"Why don't you come up? No point in you going all that way when you're already here." 

"Are you sure?" 

She nodded. "I'm sure Darien won't mind you using his shower." 

"Another colleague?" 

"Yeah. I'm in 1216." 

"Just let me get my stuff and call Scully. Then I'll be right up." She started for the elevators but his voice stopped her. "Hey, good race, Rabbit." 

She raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "Rabbit?" She called as she stepped into the waiting elevator. 

"Yeah. Little and fast." He called back as the doors closed. 

Darien was still in bed when she opened the adjoining door. Silently, she climbed onto the bed and ran her finger down the bridge of his nose. He mumbled something and swiped at his nose. She giggled softly and did it again. This time his hand shot up and grabbed hers. "I said that tickles." He growled. 

"So you are awake." She kicked off her sneakers and climbed under the covers with him. "Can you do me a favor?" 

"What?" He rolled over and looked at her. 

"Agent Mulder, the guy I went running with, is coming up. I told him he could use your shower to get cleaned up. Otherwise he'd have to go over to the FBI building. Is it okay?" She smiled at him sweetly. 

"Yeah. Fine." 

"Thank you. I'm gonna go shower. He's coming up to my room." 

"I'll let him in." 

"Thank you Darien." She kissed him and bounced out of the room. 

Darien pushed back the covers, stretching to his full height. At the knock on the door, he got up and went into Maggie's room. He opened the door, letting Mulder into the room and went back into his own, Mulder following him. 

Darien turned and the two men regarded each other. They were both over six feet tall, lanky with dark brown hair. After a moment, Darien pointed at the bathroom. 

"Shower's in there." He told him and went back into Maggie's room, flopping possessively on the bed. Maggie came out of the bathroom to discover Darien lying on her bed, flipping through the channels on TV. 

"What's going on?" He shrugged. "Is Mulder here?" 

"Taking a shower." 

She smiled. Darien was jealous. She bounced onto the bed. "Jealous?" 

He looked at her. "No." 

"Sure you are. Another rooster comes into the hen house and you can't handle it." She giggled. "Darien, we went running. That's all." She slid her hand down his stomach under the waistband of his pajama pants. "I don't think you have anything to worry about Fawkes." She winked at him and went to find the suit she was planning on wearing today. 

Darien let out a breath as she went off to dress. Deciding he was being childish, he went back into his own room. Mulder was just coming out of the bathroom, dressed in a dark suit, barefoot, his hair still wet. "We didn't get introduced proper before. I'm Darien Fawkes." Darien held out a hand to Mulder, who shook it. 

"Fox Mulder. Are you with Fish and Game too?" 

"Yeah. Maggie said you were FBI? How come you came to the convention?" 

He nodded as he tied his tie. "My partner Scully and I investigate the paranormal. I thought it might be nice to take a break from the usual." 

"I can understand that." 

Maggie appeared in the doorway, dressed in a stylish black suit with a vibrant purple blouse underneath. "Are you boys playing nice?" 

"Yes, mom." Darien rolled his eyes. "Aren't you guys going to be late for something?" 

Mulder glanced at his watch. "Actually, yeah. Scully's waiting for me downstairs." 

At the same moment, there was a knock on Maggie's door. Claire was on the other side. 

"Are you ready?" 

Maggie slipped on her pumps and looked into Darien's room. "Ready, Mulder?" 

"Almost." He was pulling on his loafers. 

Claire looked at Maggie. "Mulder?" 

"The FBI guy. Darien let him use his shower. We went for a run. Come on, I'll introduce you." Maggie pulled her into Darien's room. "Mulder, this is Claire Morgan. Claire, this is Agent Mulder." 

"Nice to meet you." Mulder shrugged into his suit jacket. 

"Same here. We'll see you later Darien." Claire waved to Darien as they drifted out into the hallway. Maggie slid up on her toes to kiss Darien. "We'll be done around four today if you want to go to dinner." 

He arms slid around her waist. "'Kay." 

A cough from the doorway made them both look up. Claire and Mulder were staring at them. Maggie blushed and extricated herself from Darien's embrace. 

"Bye Darien." Maggie followed them into the hallway, letting the door shut behind her. She looked at both of them as they got into the elevator. "Sorry guys." 

"Does her face always turn the same color as her hair?" Mulder teasingly asked Claire. 

"Only when she's really embarrassed." 

"My partner does the same thing." Mulder winked at Maggie. "Must be the red hair. So what do you do at Fish and Game, Dr. Morgan?" 

"Please call me Claire. I'm not really at liberty discuss my project." 

He nodded. "I understand." The elevator doors slid open and they stepped into the lobby. Professionals were milling around with their continental breakfasts, discussing business over coffee and muffins. Mulder scanned the room for Scully, using his height to find her. "I see her." He led the two agents through the crowd. 

Claire caught sight of a friend and called out to her. "Dana!" 

The small redheaded woman turned. "Claire. Good to see you again." She looked at Mulder. "Morning Mulder. I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up." 

He looked at Claire and Scully. "You know each other?" 

Scully rolled her eyes. "Yes, Mulder. Claire and I met when I was in medical school." 

"Scully, this is Agent Rourke. She works with Claire for Fish and Game." Mulder introduced Maggie. 

"Nice to meet you." Scully offered her hand. "Claire has told me so much about you." 

"I'm Maggie. Nice to meet you." She shook Scully's offered hand. The doors to the ballroom opened and the crowd began to push their way inside. "I guess we'd better go in." 

* * *

"Was it as bad as last night?" Darien asked in greeting when he opened the door. She grinned as she came inside. 

"You can't possibly imagine. These people really know how to go on about nothing. All they talk about is tests they performed and how the labs were set up and stuff." She took off her suit jacket and hung it on a hanger in her closet. "Worse yet, Claire looks like she's really enjoying it." She hung her pants on another hanger and pulled off her hose, tossing them into a ball near her suitcase. "I can't believe we have ten days of this." She slipped into a pair of cutoffs and unbuttoned her blouse. 

"Here." Darien tossed her blouse on a chair and gestured for her to lie down on the bed on her stomach. His gentle hands rubbed the tension and fatigue out of her shoulders and back. 

She sighed in pleasure. "Thank you Darien. That feels so nice." 

"You looked tense. Better now?" 

She nodded and stretched before getting up to find a shirt. She pulled a soft gray t-shirt over her head and flopped back down on the bed. 

"Hey. Isn't that my shirt?" Darien tugged at the bottom of the shirt. 

"Might be. I-" Maggie was interrupted by a knocking on the door. 

"Come on kids. Keep and I are hungry." Hobbes called from the other side. 

Darien shook his head and got up to open the door. Hobbes pushed his way inside, followed more sedately by Claire. "Where're we going?" 

"Dana told me about a good place in Chinatown." Claire told them. 

"Dana?" Darien looked at Maggie. 

She was putting on a pair of sandals. "Mulder's partner." 

* * *

Alex watched the happy group exit the restaurant. He recognized the tall man with his arm around Maggie's waist as the man from the surveillance photos, Darien Fawkes. He leaned down to say something to her and she laughed, a soft sound that floated back to his hiding spot. The other two walked in front of them. His file indicated that the blond was a doctor, Claire Morgan, and the short man was Robert Hobbes, a paranoid ex-FBI agent. Fawkes was tormenting Hobbes, the two women watching in amusement. Turning away from them, he walked the few blocks back to his car. Tomorrow he'd try to make contact with her, set up the beginnings of a relationship. 


	2. Part 2

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The title was borrowed from the Fiona Apple song of the same name._

* * *

Criminal Part 2

by Sun

* * *

She couldn't stand it any longer. The doctor at the podium was droning on about new uses for Faraday cages and sensory deprivation in psychic research. "Hey Claire?" Maggie called softly across the table. 

The doctor looked up. "Hmm?" 

"I've got a little headache. I'm going back up to my room." She put a hand up to her forehead. 

"Okay. Get some rest." Claire looked her over with her appraising doctors eye. "Take an ibuprofen when you get up there." 

"I will." Nodding to Mulder and Scully, Maggie gathered her bag and left the conference room. Once back up in her room, she stripped out of her suit and put on shorts and a t-shirt. Feeling freer in just a change of clothes, she took the stairs down to the lobby and ducked outside without seeing Claire. 

Outside the air was warm, and Maggie wandered over to the Mall. Taking in all the sights, she decided to head to the Smithsonian Air and Space museum. The planes hanging from the high ceiling greeted her as she entered the cool dim space. She wandered through the exhibits taking in the evolution of flight up to the space program. Her favorite was the model of the aircraft carrier. Maggie couldn't imagine how big they must be. She leaned against the railing of the upper deck, looking out over the vintage planes trying to picture living on something so huge. 

"What do you think it's like?" 

Maggie kept looking at the planes below her, not bothering to turn and face the speaker. "What what's like?" 

"To live on a carrier." 

She looked up at him and her breath caught in her throat. Dangerous. Her mind screamed at her but she ignored it, taking in his dark looks and dangerous dark green eyes. Lashes much too long for a guy helped to make his face seem more innocent, much more like a little boy. He was slender but well built. His dark hair was cut short and it matched his clothes, dark jeans and a plain black silk shirt under a well-worn black leather jacket. She opened her mouth to say something and then he smiled. 

His smile promised wonderfully wicked things. "So?" 

"What?" Maggie couldn't concentrate. 

He laughed. "Carrier, living there?" His voice was soft and dangerous. 

"I think it would be very strange. It's like a whole city on the ocean." She pushed her way out of the exhibit and back into the main hall. He followed her. "What about you?" 

"Traveling on a ship was bad enough. I imagine space is at quite a premium on something with a crew that big." 

"Are you in the navy?" Maggie sat on a bench and gazed up at the planes above her. 

"No. I was traveling back to the states. You?" He touched the chain of her dog tags. 

"Army, sort of. It's complicated. Do you work for the government?" 

"Post grad student." He bent his head closer to her. "What's your name little girl?" 

She giggled. "Magdalena." 

"I'm Alex. Would you like to get something to drink?" 

"That'd be nice. Thank you." 

They found their way outside, to one of the many refreshment stands lining the Mall. He handed her a cup of lemonade and they found a bench under a shady tree. 

"So Maddie, how does being sort of in the Army work? Are you in the reserves?" Alex tried to project innocence in his voice. 

"It's not really the reserves. I can't really explain it." She smiled in apology. "What are you studying in school?" 

He took a drink. "Literature." 

"Really? Wow. I don't know if I would have the determination for that." 

"So I'm going to take a wild guess and say you're not from around here." 

Maggie feigned shock. "How did you know?" 

"Good guess. Where are you from?" 

"San Diego. I'm here with some colleagues for a conference. I escaped today. It's so boring." 

"I can sympathize." His emerald eyes gazed out over the Mall. "Have you been to the top of the Washington Memorial yet?" He asked suddenly. 

She shook her head and looked at the towering obelisk. "You can go to the top?" 

"Sure. There's a great view from up there." She looked uncertain. "You don't have a fear of heights or anything like that do you?" 

"No." 

He tugged at her hand. "Then come on. You'll like it, I promise." She let him pull her to her feet. They walked over, her hand still in his and got in line for the elevator. 

An hour later, Alex and Maggie stood at the top of the obelisk. He pointed out the other monuments and museums. She watched, her eyes wide. 

"This is so different from San Diego. It's so old." The word was said with a reverence. "Nothing in California is this old." 

"I told you you'd like it." He grinned at her enthusiasm. "Ready to go back down?" 

Taking one last look around, Maggie nodded. "Yeah." They took the elevator back down and Alex walked Maggie back to the hotel. 

"I had a nice time today Alex." Maggie felt shy suddenly. 

"I did too. Maybe we can do something again before you leave." 

"Sure, maybe. Bye Alex." 

"Bye Maddie." 

Maggie watched him walk back down the street before sneaking back into the hotel and up to her room without being seen. Throwing herself down on the bed, she picked up the remote and flipped absently through the channels waiting for everyone else to come back. 

* * *

Alex pushed the door to Maggie's room open. Silently, he slid across the floor to her bed, ready with a syringe. It was empty and he turned, his eyes searching the darkness for her shape. The connecting door was open and he carefully stepped inside. 

Streetlights illuminated the room, casting shadows over the couple on the bed. Maggie was tucked against Fawkes' chest, his arms around her tightly. Cursing under his breath, he watched them a minute more before retreating out of Maggie's room. 

He punched the wall in the elevator on the way down out of frustration. The sooner he got the girl, the sooner he could be out of the city and out of Mulder's range. Her friends were overly protective and he wondered if the short paranoid one would follow them on their date tomorrow. He'd been watching when they had met at the museum and she had no idea he was there. As he climbed into his car, Alex's thoughts drifted back to how Maggie looked, lying naked in bed next to Fawkes. She was a beautiful woman, if a little young. He could definitely understand what Fawkes saw in her. 

* * *

Darien heard something coming from Maggie's room and shook her. "Mag, I think your phone is ringing." 

She yawned and crawled out of bed and into her room. The phone was ringing shrilly and she reached for it. "Yeah?" 

"Maddie? It's Alex." 

"Hi. How'd you-" She didn't finish her question but Alex knew what she was asking. 

"I called the desk and they forwarded the call. Hope you don't mind." 

"No. It's fine. Whaddya want?" 

"Are you busy tonight?" 

"No." She wished he would get to the point so she could go back to sleep. 

"Would you like to have dinner with me?" 

"Sure." 

"I'll meet you at 7 in the lobby." 

"Okay. See you later." 

"Sorry for waking you." 

"'S okay." 

"Bye." 

Maggie hung up the phone and went back into Darien's room. She crawled under the cover and curled up next to him. He was already back asleep and she soon followed. 

Hobbes knocked on the door sometime later. Darien glared at his partner as he let him in. 

"Morning kids. Time to go out." He grabbed Maggie's ankle and pulled. She shrieked and kicked at him. 

"All right, all right. I'm up Bobby." She wrapped the sheet around herself and went into her room to escape him. 

"You're awfully chipper this morning." Darien told him as he gathered up some clothes. 

"What can I say, Fawkes? It's a beautiful day and there are things to do." He called as Darien disappeared into the bathroom. 

Both agents appeared from the showers fifteen minutes later in considerably better moods. The trio left the hotel in search of breakfast and tourist stuff. 

Hobbes dragged them back and forth across the Mall, exploring museums and monuments. They toured the National Archives, the Treasury and the FBI building. It was almost 5:30 by the time Maggie and Darien dragged Hobbes back to the hotel. 

Claire found them relaxing in Darien's room. "What did you all do today?" Claire sank into the desk chair near the TV. 

"Walked." Darien said. He and Maggie had collapsed on the bed. 

Maggie nodded wearily. "Bobby dragged us all over." 

Hobbes raised an eyebrow at her. "You thought the FBI tour was cool." 

"It was. But we could have taken a cab or the metro. My feet are killing me." 

"Well, I'd like to go to dinner. So get up all of you." 

Maggie shook her head. "I'm going to stay here. I think I got too much sun today." 

"Okay. Go for a swim or something." Claire suggested. 

Maggie nodded. "Have a nice dinner." She leaned over and kissed Darien. 

"You want me to check on you when I get back?" He cupped her face in his hand. 

"That's okay. I'm gonna turn in early." She climbed off the bed and went into her own room, closing the door behind her. Maggie climbed into the shower to get ready for her date. 

* * *

Maggie was seated near the fireplace in the lobby when he arrived. She saw him and rose, sauntering over to him. Black leather pants hung low on her hips and she wore a blue silk halter top held up by two thin straps, one around her back and one around her neck. Her hair was loose and wild. 

"Hi Maddie." He held out an arm to her, noticing she was taller than he remembered. 

"Hi Alex." She smiled at his confused look and held up one foot to show him the black chunky four-inch platform sandals she was wearing. "You do what you have to when you're short." She told him. 

He helped her into his car and drove them to the restaurant. The maitre d' recognized him and led them to an intimate table near the window. Alex escorted Maggie through the busy restaurant, a hand on the small of her back. The golden lighting of the candles around the restaurant made her skin and hair glow. The maitre d' held her chair out for her and she slid into it. They accepted the menus and he left. 

"You look beautiful tonight." Alex's voice was husky and Maggie found herself blushing. 

"Thank you. You look nice too." He was dressed in a black Armani suit. She ducked her head into her menu. The waiter arrived and Alex ordered for them both. 

"This is one of my favorite restaurants in DC." He told her when the waiter left. 

"It's nice." She looked around. "Are you from here originally?" 

He shook his head. "No, I attend Georgetown. Do you go to school?" 

"No. I work full time. Eventually, I think I'm going to. I'll probably go to UC San Diego." 

"For what?" 

"Something medical. Biology maybe." 

"And you said I was ambitious." He laughed. 

* * *

After the dinner plates were cleared from the table, Maggie pushed her chair back and rose. "Excuse me Alex." 

He nodded and watched her make her way to the ladies' room. Making sure no one was watching him, he picked up Maggie's glass and dug a small packet out of his jacket pocket. Crushing the small tablet between his fingers, he mixed the powder into her wine, making sure it dissolved before setting the glass back in its spot. 

Maggie smiled as she came back to the table. "Did you order dessert?" 

He shook his head, watching as she took a drink of her wine. "The waiter hasn't been here yet." 

"I'd love some chocolate cake." 

"As you wish _angelchra_." He signaled the waiter. 

"Yes, sir?" 

"Two slices of the chocolate mousse cake." 

"Very good sir." 

Alex watched Maggie drink her wine and waited for the drug to take effect. "What do you do when you're not attending boring conferences?" 

She laughed. "I work for the department of Fish and Game." 

"Fish and Game?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"Yeah." Maggie raised a hand to her forehead. She suddenly felt tired. 

"Are you alright?" Alex made sure his voice had just the right amount of concern. 

She shook her head to clear it. "I think so." A sudden dizzy spell hit her and she swayed in her chair. "Maybe we should skip dessert." 

He signaled the waiter again, who came right over. 

"Sir?" 

"She's not feeling well. May we just have the check?" Alex indicated Maggie. Her face was flushed and her eyes were closed. 

"Of course sir." He rushed over to the service station. He returned a few minutes later and handed him the check. 

"Thank you." Alex slipped some bills into the folder and handed it back to him. "Keep it." 

"Thank you sir." The waiter looked at Maggie for a moment. "Do you need any other assistance?" 

"No. I've got it, thanks." Alex helped Maggie to her feet. "Come on, _lyubemitsa_. Let's get you out of here." 

She looked up at him as he practically carried her out of the restaurant. "Wha'd you say?" 

_"Lyubemitsa_. It means darling." He handed his voucher to the valet. 

Maggie leaned heavily against Alex. "What's wrong with me Alex? I didn't have that much to drink." 

The car pulled up in front of them. "Maybe you're catching something. I'll take you home." He opened the door and helped her inside. 

She leaned back in her seat, eyes closed. Maggie heard him get into the car and start it up. The car moved forward and she slipped into darkness. 

* * *

Maggie woke up, her head pounding. She couldn't remember what had happened. Rolling on her side, she groaned at the pain the movement caused. 

"I would give you some aspirin but it really wouldn't help." The smooth voice broke through the darkness. She turned her head away from the pillow but was unable to see the speaker. "Don't move." A glass pressed to her lips and she drank the cool water greedily. "Not so much. You'll make yourself sick." The glass moved away and strong hands helped her turn onto her back slowly. "Are you really psychic?" 

She closed her eyes, fighting the nausea. "Wha'?" 

A cool hand brushed her forehead. "Can you do what they say you can?" 

"Yeah. Where 'm I?" Sleep pulled at her and she longed to give in to it. 

"Can't tell you. Don't worry you're safe, for now." The blankets were straightened and tucked in more securely. "Are you warm enough?" 

Maggie shook her head, her body heavy. She realized he couldn't see her and answered out loud. "No. Cold." 

He spread another quilt over her. "Better?" 

"Yeah." 

"Good. Sleep more. You'll feel better when you wake up." The hand brushed her face once more and he left. 

* * *

When she woke up sometime later, a dim light was on. A man was bent over something on a small table. She must have made a noise because he turned to look at her. Concerned green eyes turned on her. 

"Alex?" 

He approached the bed, carrying a tray. "How are you feeling?" 

She struggled to sit up. He set down the tray and helped her, propping pillows up behind her. Maggie gazed up at him fuzzily. "You drugged me?" 

He nodded. His face was a mask, blank and unreadable. "It was necessary. My employers were very clear about keeping you safe and unharmed. Drugs were the easiest way." He held a mug of tea to her lips. She tried to take it from him but her hands were shaking. "Careful, it's still hot." She blew on it for a moment and sipped. "There's some toast for you too." She ate some of it but stopped when the nausea came back. 

"I think I'm going to be sick." She told him. He swiftly carried her into the bathroom and held her hair back from her face as she threw up the meager breakfast she had just eaten. 

He placed a cool washcloth on the back of her neck when she was done. She tried feebly to push him away but he held her still. "You're having a bad reaction to the Rohypnol. Let me help you." 

"You did this to me. Why do you want to help?" Her head lolled back against his shoulder. 

"I need you alive and healthy." He let her rest against the cool tile floor while he ran a bath. She dozed off as he gathered some clean clothes and towels for her. When he returned to the bathroom, she was asleep on the floor. He set down the items and picked her up, undressing her quickly. Once she was naked, he maneuvered her carefully into the bathtub. 

Maggie woke up as she slipped into the warm water. She fought against him but he was much stronger. 

"Relax. You'll feel better once you're clean." He told her and poured some water over her hair. Maggie felt like a small child, being bathed by an older brother. She couldn't keep her eyes open, even as he forced her to sit up so he could wash her hair. When he was finished, Krycek helped her stand so he could wrap a towel around her. 

"Come on, _angelchra_. Help me out here." 

Her legs didn't want to work, so she wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging for dear life. He carried her back into the bedroom and proceeded to dry her off. He dressed her in a soft t-shirt and sweat pants. 

"Maddie? Talk to me." Alex ran a brush through her damp hair, holding her against him. 

"Why do you call me that?" 

"What?" 

"Maddie. Everyone calls me Maggie." He could hear sleep creeping into her voice. 

He shrugged. "I guess cause everyone calls you Maggie. Feel better now?" He set the brush down and lowered her gently to the bed. 

"Still cold. And tired." She opened her eyes only enough to glare at him before turning over on her side. 

"G'way. Wanna sleep." She mumbled quietly. 

He pulled the blanket over her, tucking it in securely. "I know." He moved into the other room, shutting the door quietly behind him. 

"How is she?" 

"Tired." Alex turned to face the Well-Manicured Man. 

"Once the drug gets out of her system, she'll be better." 

"You should rest as well, Alex. You've been up all night with her." His face held concern for the young man in front of him. 

"I didn't know how her body would react to the drug. Cancer Man would kill me if she's unable to be useful." 

"You will be of no help to her if you are exhausted, my boy. You're going to have to protect her." 

Alex nodded. "I know. He's going to want to test her." 

"You'll be there when he does. Now, go on, sleep. I'll keep watch over her." 

Alex looked back at the bedroom where Maggie was. "Okay. Thank you, sir." 

"You're welcome Alex." 

* * *

The first thing Maggie noticed when she woke up was that her headache was gone. She twisted her head from side to side without pain. Stretching, she sat up in bed and froze. 

"How are you feeling Magdalena?" A well-dressed gentleman was seated at the small table near the door. He spoke with a British accent. 

"Maggie." She muttered. "Better." 

He nodded. "Maggie. Alex is resting. I offered to watch you." 

"Who are you?" She pulled the blankets around her, resting her head on her knees. 

"You may call me William." He offered politely. "I'm afraid that is all I can offer for now." 

"You're one of the men Alex works for?" 

He nodded. "I am sorry about all of this but the majority agreed it was the best way." 

"What do you want from me?" Maggie tried to curl further into herself. 

"Alex will explain everything. I'll get him." Standing, he looked at her once more before going out the door. 

A few minutes later, Alex appeared in the doorway, looking rumpled. Without words, he caught her right wrist and snapped a handcuff around it. 

"What's going on?" She asked him, unfolding from herself. 

He ignored her and attached the other end to the thick bedpost. "I'm tired. Go back to sleep." He told her and shut the door behind him. Maggie glared at him for a minute before jingling the handcuffs. A moment of concentration that left her with a slight headache was all it took to open the cuff around her wrist. Rubbing her wrist unconsciously, she slid further under the covers and drifted to sleep. 

* * *

"Claire!" Darien raced across the lobby with Hobbes close behind him. 

Claire, Scully and Mulder turned and watched them skid to a stop on the marble tile floor. They were waiting for the boys to get Maggie so they could go to dinner. 

"Was Maggie at the convention this morning?" Darien asked, breathless. 

"No, Darien. I thought she went out with you to sightsee. She wasn't in her room?" Claire was concerned. 

"This was on the desk in her room. Her bed hasn't been slept in and all her stuff's still there." Hobbes handed her the hastily scribbled note. 

"Went to dinner with Alex at La Florentina. Be home later. It's dated yesterday, 7 PM." Claire looked at Darien. "Who's Alex?" 

"Beats me." Darien shrugged. 

Hobbes spoke up. "I think he's the guy she met at the Air and Space Museum a few days ago." 

"Met?" The look on Claire's face went from concerned to angry in a matter of seconds. "You took Maggie with you and she met a man? Do you know how dangerous that was for her?" 

"Hey, I didn't take Rourke anywhere. She was the one who snuck out. I tailed her to make sure she was okay. She doesn't have the best track record with lunatics, y'know. I was going to follow her last night." He added. 

"But?" Claire prodded. 

"But, we went out to dinner." He exclaimed. 

"Why didn't you tell me she snuck out? I am her Keeper!" Claire was on the verge of shouting. 

Mulder held a hand up between them. "Did you get a look at this guy?" He asked Hobbes. Scully had the same look on her face. He had a feeling he knew exactly who they were talking about. 

"Sure. He was maybe as tall as Fawkes, tanned, short dark hair, dark eyes. Wearing all black." He watched as Mulder and Scully shared a look. "What? You know this guy?" 

"We might. It sounds like Alex Krycek. He's a dangerous man." Scully explained. "Do you have any idea what he might want with Maggie?" 

Claire opened her mouth to explain, but Mulder answered before her. "She's psychic." Everyone looked at him in shock. 

"How do you know that?" Claire asked him. 

"She showed me the first night in the bar. I think she was a little drunk." 

"Wait, Mulder, what do you mean she's psychic?" Scully asked. 

Claire spoke up. "Maggie was the subject of a military experiment when she was very young. The result of which was that she developed telekinesis and empathy." 

"She told me she has prophetic dreams sometimes." Mulder looked at Scully, waiting for her reaction. 

"Mulder, can I speak to you for a moment?" Scully pulled him aside, her voice lowered. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that girl could move things with her mind. It's just not possible." 

"Scully, I saw it. She untied my tie and floated it across the table without using her hands." He gestured to Claire. "And what about Dr. Morgan?" 

"What about her? There's no reason to believe this isn't a hoax at your expense and she isn't in on it." 

"Maggie's disappearance?" 

"We're talking about Krycek. He could have killed her and dumped her body in the river for all we know." 

Mulder held up his hands. "Believe whatever you want, Scully. I'm going to help these people." He walked back to the small group standing a little bit away. 

Scully pressed the bridge of her nose and silently counted to ten before following her partner. 

"I know where La Florentina is." Mulder told them. "Let me go back to the office and see if I can find a picture of Krycek. We can take it and see if anyone recognizes him." 

"I'll check with the local hospitals." Claire suggested. 

Sighing, Scully turned to Hobbes and Darien. "Why don't we check with the DC police, see if they have heard anything?" 

* * *

The door to her room opened and Alex stepped inside. The clock on the nightstand read 5:30. Maggie rolled over and ran a hand through her hair. He raised an eyebrow at the handcuffs dangling from the bedpost. Unlocking them, he motioned for her put her hands out. She sat up and held her arms in front of her so he could put the cuffs on her. "Come on." 

Maggie slid off the bed, stumbling a little before righting herself. She followed Alex into the living room, where he pointed to the couch. 

"Sit." She took a seat on the end of the couch farthest from him. There was a fire in the fireplace and she found herself unconsciously leaning into the warmth. 

"You wanted to know why you're here." He began. "There is an invasion coming. And if my employers have anything to say about it, _angelchra_, you're going to play a large roll in it." 

"Invasion? What do you mean?" 

"An alien species is planning to colonize Earth and my employers have been cooperating with them. You are the communication link, your telepathy." 

Maggie bit her lip and absently wondered if Alex knew Mulder. "I don't know where your 'employers' got their information but I'm not telepathic. I'm an empath." The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them. She'd just admitted she was useless to him. Kidnappers didn't usually keep useless hostages alive. 

He stepped very close to her and caught her chin, forcing her to look up at him. "Don't play games with me little girl. I'm sure we can find some other use for you." The look in his eyes made her pull back from him. 

She pushed at him mentally causing him to take a step back. The fire rose, as she got mad. 

His eyes grew a little wider at the fire. "Easy princess. Don't do anything you'll regret." 

The flames shot up once more. "Don't call me princess." She growled, getting up. 

"Fine." He pushed her back down. "Understand this. You will survive colonization if you work with us. The syndicate will protect you, if you work for them. With me." 

"You don't seem to understand, Alex. I cannot do what you want me to do." 

He sat down next to her. "Tell me what you can do." 

She let her fingers skim over his face, barely touching him. "You're tired, and frustrated. Something else." Alex turned his head, bringing her hand into full contact with his skin. She gasped and jumped back. "Scared. Underneath everything else, you're terrified. Of the aliens, these men, even yourself." The last part came out a whisper. 

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her close. "Anyone who scares me, _angelchra_, should terrify you." 

"I was subject to a medical experiment by my father when I was four and spent the next twenty years having no control over my power. There's not a hell of a lot that does scare me." She leaned in, so her face was almost touching his. "I've been inside the minds of some of the worst criminals. Your threats, your loneliness doesn't scare me, Alexei." 

She whispered his full name and he pushed her away. "How do you know my name?" 

"I saw it. A woman, she was calling a little boy. You. It was your mother?" 

"When we moved to the US, my mother insisted on calling me Alex. To be more American." He pushed to his feet. "Hungry? I'm getting something to eat." 

"Okay." Maggie tucked her feet under her and curled up on her side. 

A glowing cigarette warned Alex of the Smoking Man's presence. "I don't think she believes me." Alex told him. 

"Of course she doesn't Alex. But will she work with you?" 

"I'm not sure if I can win her over. She's very attached to her life and the people in it." 

"She scares you." It was chilling how much he knew sometimes. 

Alex shrugged. "She knows things." 

"Perhaps I should speak with her. I might not be as frightened of a little girl. Or you could scare her in return. She's claustrophobic, you know." 

"I'll handle it." Alex growled as he gathered sandwich fixings from the fridge. 

"You'd better, Alex. We don't have much time." 

His hand tightened on the knife he was holding. "I said I would handle it." The old man slipped out of the kitchen and Alex busied himself fixing their meal. 

Cursing the Smoking Man in Russian, he reached into the fridge for some sodas before picking up the tray and heading into the living room. 

He set the tray on the coffee table and regarded Maggie. She was already asleep, the drug still affecting her. Her cuffed hands tucked up near her head. Alex gently brushed her hair back from her face. She turned into his hand and softly sighed. 

"Darien." His hand froze. She stirred and opened her green eyes. "Alex?" Her voice was thick with sleep. 

He snatched his hand back. "Food." 

"Thanks." She sat up and took the offered sandwich. "Do you think you could take these off? I couldn't go anywhere, even if I was able too." 

"You could just do what you did before." 

"I know. I was trying to be cooperative." 

"Thanks." He reached out and took hold of her wrists, unlocking the cuffs. He tossed them on the table and rubbed her wrists to bring back some circulation. "Better?" 

"Yeah. Thank you." She took a tentative bite of the sandwich. 

Alex noticed and rolled his eyes. "I didn't do anything to it." 

"You drugged me once. How do I know you won't do it again?" 

Sighing dramatically, Alex reached over and ripped off a piece of her sandwich. He popped it into his mouth, chewed and swallowed it. "Satisfied your highness? Or would you like the royal taster to sample the rest of your food too?" 

"Fuck you, Alex." She bit into her sandwich. 

He leaned in. "We can arrange that _angelchra_." Tilting his head to the side, his eyes narrowed. "Or maybe you could spend some time in the closet." Maggie froze, her sandwich halfway to her mouth. He nodded. "So you are claustrophobic." 

"Who told you that?" Her voice came out strangled. He noticed her breathing had sped up slightly and she had gone very pale suddenly. 

"Little bird. Don't worry. I'm not real big into torturing women. Unless you really piss me off, you're fine." 

She took a drink from her soda. "I feel so much better now." 

"Wise ass." He picked up own sandwich, watching her out of the corner of his eye. Color was coming back into her face and her breathing slowed down. Her hair was sticking up in all directions from sleep and her running her hands through it. "Do you want to take a shower? Get cleaned up?" 

Maggie looked down for a moment before nodding. 

"Yeah. I feel kinda grungy." 

"There's a bathroom attached to your room. I'll get you some clean clothes." Alex offered. 

"Okay." She finished her sandwich and set her soda can on the table. She walked slowly back into the bedroom. Flipping on the lights in the bathroom, Maggie shut the door and looked for a lock. There wasn't one on the door and she cursed silently before turning on the shower. 

Alex pushed the bedroom door open with his foot, looking around to make sure he wasn't barging in on her. The room was empty and he could hear the shower running in the bathroom. He set the jeans and t-shirt on the bed and backed out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Darien asked when Mulder arrived. 

Mulder shook his head. "The maitre d' recognized him as a regular customer and said he was there last night with Maggie. They left when she wasn't feeling well." Claire sighed. "There was no one fitting her description seen at any of the hospitals last night." 

"Same with the police. No sign of her." Hobbes told them. 

"I called the Official. He's not happy. Said to contact the FBI and get a search going for her." Claire looked at Mulder and Scully. "So can you help us?" 

"We'll do everything we can." Mulder looked at Scully. "Should we call Skinner?" 

She shrugged. "We'll get more resources that way. Especially when he finds out that Krycek is involved." She reached into her suit jacket for her cell phone. "I'll talk to him." 


	3. Part 3

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The title was borrowed from the Fiona Apple song of the same name._

* * *

Criminal Part 3

by Sun

* * *

Maggie climbed out of the shower feeling all together more human. She wiped off the mirror and peered at her reflection. There were dark bags under her eyes and she looked pale, her freckles standing out on her nose. She picked up a silver comb from the countertop and ran it through her hair, combing her normally wild locks straight back. Wrapping the towel around herself, she opened the door to her room cautiously. She half expected Alex to be waiting for her on the other side. 

Her room was empty, save for some clothing folded on her bed. Quickly, she grabbed the clothes and ducked back into the warm bathroom. The jeans were, predictably too long and she rolled the legs up. The soft black t-shirt was also too big, falling to her knees. Maggie tossed the towel on the floor and went out into the bedroom. Alex had said nothing about staying in the bedroom so she opened the door and went into the other room. 

The living room was empty. Looking around furtively, Maggie tried the door and found it unlocked. She slipped out, shutting the door behind her silently. The room was at the end of a hallway. Maggie crept down the hall, her back to the wall, watching for any sign of Alex or the British man. A set of stair appeared to her right and she hurried down them. They ended in a pantry type area. An open door looked into an empty kitchen. She could see a door leading outside. Like the rabbit Mulder called her, she dashed across the kitchen and out the door. 

Alex stood at the window, gazing out over the gentle Virginia countryside. He liked it here. The temperature was moderate, not too much snow. Not like Russia. Sighing, he started to turn from the window when something caught his eye. A small figure was darting across the back lawn. 

"Son of a bitch!" He exclaimed and flew out of the room. 

Maggie was almost to the tree line when something tackled her from behind. She hit the ground with a thud and a muffled groan. 

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Alex asked as he rolled her over, his grip tight on her arms. 

Maggie glared at him. "Get off me Alex." She growled. 

He laughed. "Neither one of us would last through the day if you escaped." He pushed to his feet and pulled her up with him. "I thought I could trust you enough to let you shower alone. Guess I was wrong." 

She pulled against him but his grip was too strong. She gave him a telekinetic shove and he stumbled but didn't let go. Alex turned back to her, his fist lashing out suddenly. She crumpled into his arms. "Not smart _angelchra_." He said softly as he gathered her up and carried her back into the house. 

* * *

Maggie startled awake. It was pitch black and she stretched out her hand, feeling out her surroundings. She was seated on the floor of a very small room, her back against one wall and feet near another. Panic started to creep in and she banged her fists against the walls. There was a door to her left and she frantically twisted the knob but it wouldn't turn. She banged on the door. 

"Let me out! Alex! Let me out of here!" There was no response to her cries and she sank back to the floor. Wrapping her arms around them, she pulled her knees in as close to her body as possible. Closing her eyes against the pressing darkness, Maggie began to cry. 

* * *

"Where's the girl Alex?" The Well-Manicured man demanded. 

"She tried to escape. We would both be dead if she got away. I happen to like living." 

"Where is she?" 

He looked at the floor. "In the kitchen utility closet. That black lunged bastard saw me coming back in with her. He took her and put her there. She's claustrophobic." 

"How long has she been in?" 

Alex looked at his watch. "Half hour." 

"Go get her. I'll speak with him." He turned and went in search of the Smoking Man. 

Alex went downstairs to the utility closet and unlocked the door. When he pulled open the door, Maggie pulled even further into herself. She turned her face against the wall, trying to disappear. 

"Maddie?" He turned on the light in the tiny space and knelt down next to her. She flinched when he touched her shoulder, not seeing or hearing him. "Come on." He hauled her to her feet and helped her walk out of closet. Slowly, they walked back upstairs to the bedroom and he tucked her into bed. The Well-Manicured Man entered the room a minute later. 

"Our friend has gone out. I thought you might need some assistance." He set down a tray with some items on it. "Get her some water. And a cloth for her forehead." 

Alex went into the bathroom. He came out a moment later and handed the items to him. "I wouldn't have done this. There are better ways to prove a point than torture." 

"I'm inclined to agree with you. She will be of no use to our cause if she is broken." He held her head up so she could drink. When she was done, he placed the cool cloth on her forehead. "Poor child. She's been unconscious for most of her time here." He turned to Alex. "We should let her rest. I'll check on you both later." 

"Thank you, sir." Alex perched on the edge of the bed. 

"Alex, my son, be wary of your attachment. She may have a higher place in the plan than you." Alex nodded, understanding the warning. "I will be in the study if you need me." 

* * *

The sun was streaming in through the windows when Maggie woke the next morning. She sat up and stretched, her sore muscles protesting the movement. Alex was sprawled on the other side of the bed, still dressed in his clothes from yesterday. She watched him as he slept. He appeared so much younger, she wondered if he was closer to her age than she originally thought. The hard lines were gone from his face and the constant tension in his body had been released in sleep. 

Carefully, so not to wake him, she slid off the bed and opened the door to the living room. 

"Good morning, Maggie." 

She turned and saw the Well-Manicured Man seated at a small table by the windows. He rose as she closed the door and came into the room. "Morning William." 

He gestured to the table. "Join me for breakfast." 

"Thank you." She sat across from him and selected some fruit and toast. He poured her a cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. "What time is it?" 

"10:30. A bit later than usual, but I thought you could use the sleep. It has been a long couple of days." 

"Thank you." 

"Alex is still sleeping?" She nodded, her mouth full of toast. "We'll let him. He gets so little uninterrupted sleep." 

"You seem very concerned about him." 

He took a sip of his coffee. "I was a good friend with Alex's parents. When they passed, I took him in." 

"How old was he?" 

"Young." 

"I was 12." 

Maggie and William turned around to see Alex standing in the doorway. He ran a hand through his short hair, walking over to the table to snatch up a piece of toast. 

"Good Morning Alex. Did you sleep well?" 

He nodded, watching Maggie. "Yes, sir. What about you? No ill affects from last night?" 

She startled when he addressed her. "No. I slept fine." She squirmed a little under his gaze. 

"Good. I'm, I'm sorry about yesterday." 

Maggie turned and looked out the window. "If you hadn't kidnapped me, you would have no need to apologize." She stood up and turned to William. "Thank you for breakfast William. If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get cleaned up." She hurried into the bedroom and shut the door behind her. Leaning back against the door, she slid to the floor, her head in her hands. "Darien." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. 

* * *

"Maggie." Darien leaned against the cool window of his hotel room. He'd stayed up most of the night wandering around his room until Claire threatened to force-feed him a sleeping pill. When he finally relented, sleep wouldn't come. Mulder and Scully arrived at the hotel early that morning with no news. The FBI had no known whereabouts for this Krycek. Mulder said he could have taken her as far away as Russia. "I was thinking. Why can't we track her? Y'know, the tracer in her dog tags?" 

"She left them here when she went out. Darien, did you get any sleep last night?" Claire touched his shoulder gently, her voice filled with concern. 

He turned and looked at her. "I couldn't. I just kept seeing Maggie." 

"We'll find her." 

"What if we can't? He could have taken her to Russia." He exclaimed, sitting down on his bed, running his hands through his hair nervously. 

"She hasn't been taken to Russia." Claire sat down next to him. 

"Mulder said Krycek has connections in Russia. She might have been sold to white slavers." He said, his eyes wide. 

"Darien, no one is going to sell Maggie to white slavers. From what Scully told me, this Krycek person is an errand boy for a group of men known as the Syndicate. She also said there has been some dissention in the ranks of this group. Chances are better than not that she's still in Virginia. Probably near by." She told him. "Besides, I don't think they have white slavers in Russia." Standing up, she pulled on his arm. "Come on, come back to my room. You can mope with Hobbes and I." 

* * *

A knock on the door startled Maggie. She hastily wiped her eyes and backed away from the door. "What?" 

"Are you okay?" The door muffled Alex's voice. 

"Yeah. I'm fine." 

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah. I'm gonna shower." She hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door against anything else he was going to say. 

Alex leaned his head against the bedroom door. Maggie was obviously upset and he could understand why. Sighing, he went to get some clean clothes for her. 

Maggie stepped out of the steamy bathroom and found a pile of clothes on the bed. She changed and opened the door to the living room. She glanced around to see if anyone was there. 

"Not thinking of trying to run again, are you? Cause I would think you'd learn your lesson last time." 

She looked around and saw Alex standing by the window. "I wouldn't dream of trying to escape Alex." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. 

"Good." 

She sprawled on the couch, gazing at him through half closed eyes. "How old were you when you came here?" 

"Why do you want to know?" He sounded suspicious. 

"You seem like an interesting person. I like interesting people." 

"Let's play a game." He leaned back against the window, his arms crossed over his chest. 

"A game?" 

"Of questions. You ask me one, I'll answer and then I get to ask you one." 

"I have to answer?" He nodded silently. "You have to answer?" 

"It's only fair." 

"All right. So answer my question." 

"Four. I was four." He thought about it for a moment. 

"How old were you when they did the experiment?" 

"Four, also. If your mother wanted to be more American when you moved here, how'd you learn Russian?" 

"She wanted to be more American but she didn't want me to forget my roots. After dinner, we only spoke Russian. So I wouldn't forget." He walked over to the couch and sat down next to her. "When did you become claustrophobic?" 

"I was trapped in the car accident that killed my parents. It took the rescued workers four hours to pull me out of an upside-down car that was under a semi. I was lucky I survived." 

"You weren't hurt?" His voice was uncharacteristically concerned. 

"Head wound. A tiny part of my brain was damaged. The part that helped me control my gifts. How did your parents die?" 

"Plane crash. Case is still open. The authorities thought it might have been a bomb but the case has been cold for ten years now." Alex leaned forward. "Tell me about your father." 

She slouched low. "What about him?" 

"Why did he pick you?" 

"Because he needed a test subject for his project. Because his project wouldn't have been able to continue without one and I hate him for it." She spit out the last part. A tear welled up and she swiped at it hastily. "Why does loneliness scare you so much?" 

He looked at her, his eyes hard. "Why does it scare you?" 

"You didn't answer my question." 

"Neither did you." They stared at each other, waiting for the other to break first. The door opened and they both spun around as the Smoking Man stepped inside. Alex stood up and moved in front of Maggie, who sat up straighter. 

"Good afternoon Alex, Magdalena." He kept to the walls, lighting a cigarette as he settled in a darkened corner of the room. "You look older in the pictures." He finally commented, his cigarette glowing in the shadows. 

"I'm 25." She turned to face him, putting Alex at her back. 

"A child in the scheme of things." The tip grew brighter as he took a drag off the cigarette. "Alex has told me he has seen you move things without touching them." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." He sighed. "Please don't play games with me, Magdalena." Alex stepped closer, leaning down to speak in her ear. 

"Just agree with him. Otherwise this will go badly." He moved around her to lean against the wall between them. 

CSM moved suddenly and pulled out a gun. Maggie threw up a hand to stop him and he froze in his tracks, unable to move. The gun flew out of his hand and landed at her feet. Alex scooped up the gun before she could. 

"Well done, Magdalena." 

When she realized what she had done, she released him and took a step back. "No." The word came out on a breath, almost to soft to be heard. 

"Alex, please make certain she understands how important it is for her to work with us." Alex nodded and the CSM stood. "Excellent. You have exceeded my expectations of your abilities, Magdalena. I'll see you both in a few days." He nodded good-bye to them both and left. 

Maggie recovered and flew at Alex in a rage. "You knew he was going to provoke me. Bastard!" 

"My parents were married, angelchra." He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her into the bedroom. "There is nothing I could do that wouldn't get both of us hurt or killed." He said through gritted teeth as he dropped her on the bed. "Don't move from this room." He told her and slammed the door behind him. She shrieked and the lamp launched itself at the door. Sighing, Maggie flopped back on the bed and was soon asleep. 

* * *

Alex threw the door open. "Get dressed." He tossed a box on the bed and slammed the door behind him. Maggie sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes before pulling the box to her. 

She tugged the lid off, tossing it to the side. Underneath the layers of tissue paper was a scrap of pale green silk. She spread it out on the bed, looking at it with a raised eyebrow. "A dress." She squinted at it. "At least, I think it's a dress." She muttered and went into the bathroom to shower. 

The silk slid over her skin like a cool breeze falling to mid-thigh. Thin straps held it up and the back was more of the same crisscrossing her back, tied in a bow at the waist. When she was dressed, she felt more like she was wearing a negligee than a dress but she padded barefoot out to the living room. 

Alex was there, standing by the fire. The flames cast a light over him, causing his tan skin to glow. Wearing black dress pants and black button down over a white v-neck t-shirt, he looked decidedly less like a crook. He turned to her, his eyes catching the light from the fire. "_Maia krassivaya angelchra_." 

He spoke in Russian. The only word she thought she recognized was something that sounded like angle. 

"What?" 

"I called you my beautiful angel." 

"Oh. Thanks." She looked around the darkened room and saw a small table set for two sitting near the window. 

"What's going on?" 

"The Smoking Man says thank you. And he thinks you need to relax." He smiled sardonically and gestured to the table. "Shall we?" 

"Does he think I'll work with him if you seduce me? Is that why he sent all this?" Maggie asked angrily. 

Alex shrugged. "What if he did? He's not usually so generous. Enjoy it." 

"I'm not drinking that." She pointed to the wine. 

"Fine." He picked up the bottle and put it by the door. She heard him turn on the faucet in the bathroom and he appeared a moment later with a pitcher of water. "Better?" 

"Humor me." She grabbed the pitcher and marched back into the bathroom. She dumped the water and washed out the container before filling it again. 

He was trying hard not to smile when she returned with the fresh water. "Better now?" 

"Yeah." She set the pitcher on the table. 

"Can we eat now?" 

"Yes." 

He held out her chair for her and she sat down, letting him slid her in. "I don't trust him as far as I can throw him. But I don't think he would poison us. He sounded like he was really impressed with you." 

"Well, my life's complete." 

He laughed and filled her glass with water. "Relax and enjoy your dinner." He held up his water glass. "To new partnerships." 

Maggie hesitated for a moment before raising her own glass. "To new partnerships." She echoed and touched her glass to his. 

* * *

Maggie pushed herself back from the table. "That was wonderful. I think he meant to kill us with chocolate." She poked her fork at the remains of the rich fudge cake. 

"Anything's possible." Alex stood up and went to the stereo tucked in away on a bookcase. Soft music filled the room and he held out his hand to her. 

She shook her head. "I don't dance." 

He looked at her in disbelief. "How can you not dance? Didn't you go to dances in high school?" As soon as he said the words, he regretted them. He had read her file and knew she had never attended school with other children. 

"I didn't go to high school." She said sadly and looked down at the floor. 

Alex lifted her chin so their eyes met. "I'm sorry." He pulled her to her feet. "I'll teach you." He put an arm around her waist and took her hand in his other hand. Slowly, he began to waltz her around the living room. "Did I tell you that you look nice in that dress?" 

"If you can call it a dress. I've seen more material on Victoria's Secrets models." She looked up at him. 

"Did you pick it out?" 

He shook his head. "No. I'm sure he wanted it to be a surprise for both of us." 

Maggie tucked her head against his chest, listening to his heart and the music. Her eyes drifted closed, letting him lead her around the room. The song ended and Maggie realized they had stopped moving. She looked up at Alex. 

He was gazing down at her, his green eyes very dark. Leaning down, his lips met hers. She jumped back startled. "I'm sorry, Maddie." 

She slumped down on the couch. He sat down next her, his arm across the back of the couch. His fingers played along her shoulder, pulling her into his arms. She curled her legs up on the couch next to her and leaned into him. "I can't do this." She muttered more to herself than to him. 

"I know. Neither can I." His hand slid down her back, playing with the silk straps of her dress. His other hand moved slowly up her leg, slipping under the hem of her dress. 

"Right." She was breathless as his mouth slid hotly over her throat. "This isn't happening then?" 

Alex pulled her onto his lap so she was straddling him. "It's not happening." 

"Good." She leaned up and kissed him full on the mouth. He pushed her dress up to her waist, fingers kneading at her hips. She trailed kisses down his neck, her hands pulling his shirt down his arms. She pulled his t-shirt over his head and tossed it over her shoulder. He reached behind her and pulled on the bow. The straps loosened so Alex could slide the thin straps down her shoulders. 

As his hand cupped her breast, Maggie shook her head. "No." She whispered. 

"Hmm?" His mouth tasted the pulse in her throat. 

She pushed him away, falling off his lap. "No. I can't." 

He stared down at her. "Maddie, what's wrong?" 

"Everything." She got to her feet, stumbling back from him. "I won't do this. Stay away from me." The fire jumped in the fireplace and the table crashed over. 

He reached out to her and the candlesticks flew off the mantel, barely missing his head. "Maddie stop this." She turned on him and he drew his gun. "I don't want to shoot you Maddie." 

"Stay away Alex." 

"Maddie, I will shoot you. Don't make me. Please." He clicked off the safety. 

A knife from the table flew at Alex suddenly, lodging in his shoulder. He cursed and shot her, hitting her in the thigh. Angry and in excruciating pain, Maggie threw Alex back against the wall. He slid to the floor unconscious. Grabbing his t-shirt she pulled it on over her dress and limped out of the room. She stumbled through the house, encountering no one before yanking open the door and tumbling out of the house. She moved as quickly as she was able toward the covering of trees at the edge of the property. 

"I can't believe he shot me." Maggie mumbled as she limped toward the road. Her leg was on fire and the dress stuck oddly to the bloody wound. "I can't believe you fucking shot me you asshole." She came upon the road suddenly and turned in the direction she hoped was away from the house. Walking was becoming impossible. Stumbling down the road, Maggie was unaware of the car coming toward her. She turned as it approached and lost her balance, falling to the road. It was the black sedan from her dream, the windows tinted darkly. "Shit." She whispered as it slowed to a stop next to her. The rear door opened and she tried to stand up but her right leg wouldn't support her. 

The Well Manicured Man got out of the car and approached her. The driver had also gotten out and they were discussing her. 

"Put her in the back of the car. We'll take her to the hospital." He told the driver. 

"Yes sir." The driver bent down and picked her up easily, setting her gently on the back seat of the car. He got in next to her and the car sped off. 

"Don't worry, my dear. You're going to be back with your friends soon enough." He took her hand and patted it, like a grandfather would. Maggie nodded and drifted out of consciousness. 

* * *

Mulder looked up from the laptop he borrowed from Scully when his phone rang. He snatched it up and answered it. "Yeah?" 

"Mr. Mulder?" The voice on the other end sounded vaguely familiar. 

"Yeah. Who's this?" 

"A friend. Maggie Rourke is at Georgetown University Hospital. I'd get there soon before my associates realize she's gone and attempt to retrieve her." 

"Who are you?" 

"I told you Mr. Mulder, a friend." 

"Wait-" He called but the line was already dead. In an instant, Mulder was on his feet and across the hall, banging on Claire's door. "Dr. Morgan! Maggie's at the hospital." 

Claire's door swung open and Mulder found himself surrounded by the agents, all asking him questions at once. He held up his hands. 

"She's at Georgetown University Hospital." He told them. "We need to move quickly on this." He ran back into Maggie's room and grabbed his phone and car keys. Everyone was waiting for him and they ran down to the elevators. Mulder hit the speed dial on his cell. 

"Scully, it's me. Yeah, she's at Georgetown. Anonymous phone call. We'll meet you there." He hung up as the elevator let them out in the parking garage and they sprinted to his car. 

* * *

The four agents ran into the emergency room of Georgetown University Hospital, badges out. Mulder and Hobbes grabbed the first medical looking person. 

"Federal Agents. We're looking for a young woman. 5'4", red hair, green eyes. We were told she was brought in here earlier." Mulder told the young woman. 

She looked startled, her eyes darting from Mulder to Hobbes and then back to Darien and Claire. "Let me find Dr. Sands. He's the attending. I'm just an intern." She scurried off behind a partition where the nurses' station was. A moment later, the intern reappeared with a woman in her thirties. 

"I'm Dr. Sands. You're looking for our Jane Doe?" Her gaze skimmed over the group, taking in each badge. 

"Agent Mulder, FBI. These are Agents Hobbes, Fawkes and Dr. Morgan." Mulder introduced them. "She's another agent. Her name is Magdalena Rourke." 

"She's this way." Dr. Sands turned around and led them down a hallway to a small curtained area. 

Claire pushed to the front of the group. "I'm her doctor. What happened to her?" 

"Agent Rourke was dropped off a few hours ago by a couple men, who left as soon she was in our care. Right now, she's in a lot of pain. She has some minor scrapes and contusions. There were some very mild symptoms of exposure. The thing we were most worried about was a bullet wound in her leg. The bullet passed through her upper thigh. It didn't cause any major damage and she should have full range of motion after some physical therapy. We also ran a tox screen and discovered trace elements of the drug Rohypnol, a date rape drug more commonly known as roofies. The rape kit was negative for any signs of rape though. I've given her some painkillers and she's going to be admitted for a few days, mostly for observation. I want to keep an eye on that leg." 

Agent Scully, who had joined the group moments before, spoke up. "Can we get a description of the men who brought her in?" 

"Sure. I think Dr. May saw them. You can go in and say hi, and I'll go find him." She told them with a smile and went to find Dr. May. 

Darien poked his head around the curtain. Maggie was propped up in the bed, her eyes half closed. "Hi Princess." 

After a moment, she focused on him. "Darien?" 

He approached the bed, leaning down to kiss her gently. "This is getting to be a habit I don't like." 

She lifted her arms and wrapped them around his neck. "I didn't think I was going to see you again." 

When he pulled away, she was crying. He reached down and wiped away her tears. "Oh, hey, don't cry. There's people here to see you." 

Hobbes and the others spilled out into the small area. 

"Hi guys." Her greeting was subdued due to the pain meds dripping through her IV. 

Hobbes kissed her forehead. "Hiya Rourke. Good to see you in one piece." 

Claire picked up her chart and scanned it over. "How are you feeling?" 

"They've given me something for the pain so everything's pretty dull. Doctor said I should be able to leave in a few days." 

"We'll set up a watch by your door once you get in a room." Mulder spoke up from the back of the curtained area. 

"Hi Mulder." She waved feebly. "Thank you." 

Scully poked her head back in. "I've got a description." 

Everyone started to move at once but stopped, looking back at Maggie. Darien sat back down, waving everyone out. 

"Go on. I'll stay." He looked back down at Maggie with a smile, cupping her face in his hand. 

"We'll see you later." Claire told her. "Try to rest." 

"From what the doctor could tell me, it sounded like the Well Manicured Man and his chauffer." Scully told them as Claire joined the group. "I called Skinner and he found an address. He's sending a team to meet us there." 


	4. Part 4

_Disclaimer: The Invisible Man and the characters involved therein belongs to The Sci Fi channel. The X-Files and its characters belong to Chris Carter and Fox. No copywrite infringment intended. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Maggie Rourke and anyone else you don't recognize belong to me. The title was borrowed from the Fiona Apple song of the same name._

* * *

Criminal Part 4

by Sun

* * *

Darien looked up as the door opened. Mulder stepped inside quietly, casting a glance at Maggie, asleep in bed. 

"Hey. Did you get them?" 

He shook his head. "No. The house was empty by the time we got there." 

"Damn it. How do we know they're not going to come after her again?" Darien touched her hand, gently stroking the back of her hand. 

"Chances are, they won't. Not once you get back to San Diego. I think the agency you work for, and not for a minute do I believe you work for Fish and Game, is powerful enough to protect all of you from the Syndicate." 

Darien grinned. "All right. Listen, would you sit with her? I'm gonna go try and catch some shuteye in the lounge." 

"Sure. Go ahead." 

"Thanks man." Darien gave up his chair to Mulder and crept out of the room. 

* * *

"Thanks for everything, Mulder." Maggie and Mulder were standing a little away from the rest of the group as they waited to board the plane. 

"I just wish we had gotten Krycek." 

"You couldn't have expected them to still be in the house after I escaped though." 

"No. Still," 

"I know. Oh here." She fished around in her messenger bag and found a scrap of paper and pen. "My address and stuff." She scribbled quickly and handed it to him. 

"We should keep in touch. If we're ever out in San Diego, I could come for a visit." He wrote his own address on a page in his notebook and handed it to her. 

Maggie tucked it into her jacket pocket just as they announced the boarding call for their flight. "Well, I gotta go." 

"Yeah." He looked at the gate, where Claire, Hobbes and Darien were waiting. "Have a good flight, Rabbit." 

She laughed. "I hate flying." 

"Sleep through it. That what I do." He told her. 

"I'll try it." She leaned in and hugged him. "Thanks again." She told him and started to walk away. He grabbed her arm and pulled her back, kissing her hard. When he released her, she smiled sadly and laid her hand on his cheek. 

"It's not me, Mulder." She said softly before limping over to the group waiting impatiently for her. She turned and waved as they headed into the tunnel. 

"I know, Maggie." He whispered and waved back. Scully walked toward him and he put his arm around her shoulders. "Hey Scully, want to get some dinner?" 

"Sure Mulder." 

* * *

The Official sprung for first class seats on the way home so Maggie would be comfortable. The smiling flight attendant offered to put Maggie's crutches away for her and she gave them to her before settling into her seat next to Darien, who was staring intently out the window. 

"Hey See Through Boy." She said good-naturedly. He grunted softly, not turning to look at her. "Okay. I'm getting the silent treatment because why?" 

"I'm sure if you ask nice, the Official would transfer you to an agency out here." He sounded hurt, like a little boy who's puppy had died. He turned around and his eyes looked like it too. 

"Oh, Darien, no. It's not like that." 

"Sure looked like that from where I was standing." 

"Its not me, Darien. Mulder loves Scully. Isn't it obvious? I just happen to look like her. That's all." She tried to explain but it sounded weak even to her ears. "Where am I sitting right now?" 

"On a plane." He said carefully, like it was a trick question. 

"No silly, who am I sitting next to?" 

"Me." 

"Right. And if I wanted to be with Mulder, do you think I would be sitting here next to you?" 

"I don't know." 

"Yes you do." She sighed exasperatedly. "Mulder and I are friends. We're running buddies. That's all." She reached out and traced his jawbone with her finger. "Want me to prove it to you?" 

"What?" 

She giggled and leaned in, kissing him so softly, it was really more of a feather brush of lips than a real kiss. "You are the only man in my life Darien Fawkes. The only man I love." 

He nodded, his hand snaking up into her hair. "So Mulder's got a thing for red heads too, huh?" 

She shook her head. "No, just one red head." 

"Good. Cause I kinda like San Diego. I wouldn't want to have to follow you out here. Too much winter." He kissed her again. 

"I'm not going anywhere." 


End file.
